DJ still expects to be ready for camp

[The Franchise]

Chiefs ILB Derrick Johnson (Achilles') still expects to be ready for training camp.

The 34-year-old ruptured his left Achilles' in December. Johnson optimistically said he will be ready for camp in April, and he is not backing down a month later. "I'm on track, just like last time," Johnson said. "I never want to put a date on when I'm going to be 100 percent. But will I be at camp? I can say that, yeah." Even if he is "ready," Johnson will likely take it easy early in camp, but there does not appear to be any concern about his Week 1 status.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Chiefs ILB Derrick Johnson (Achilles') still expects to be ready for training camp.

The 34-year-old ruptured his left Achilles' in December. Johnson optimistically said he will be ready for camp in April, and he is not backing down a month later. "I'm on track, just like last time," Johnson said. "I never want to put a date on when I'm going to be 100 percent. But will I be at camp? I can say that, yeah." Even if he is "ready," Johnson will likely take it easy early in camp, but there does not appear to be any concern about his Week 1 status.

Check the thread title. That is the Whole point of this thread- DJ says he will be at camp.

Immediately, it was posted he was full of shit. That is the WHOLE point of my response.

Now you want to take if a step further and act like he was a scrub before he got hurt and now should just retire. You can post all the odds you want wrapped up in your negativity- but the fact is - DJ HAS come back from this before. Will he be an ALL Pro again- time will tell- but my guess he will Still be the best we have and will be racking up tackles like he always did.

Or you can read my response and who I was speaking directly to. You're the one that directly addressed me, champ. You might want to speak to what I was actually saying.

I couldn't give a large rats ass about who posted what before me - I spoke to a direct point made in the thread; a couple of them in fact. You, because you're asshurt over some park equipment, are just randomly spewing drivel at anyone who dares question the kind-hearted soul that is Derrick Johnson.

FFS, he's my goddamn screen name. The guy that has his season tickets in front of us lived across the street from him (and down the street from Bowe) and says he's the honest to god nicest person you'd ever meet. I. Don't. Care.

Being nice doesn't stop the goddamn aging process. It doesn't stop injuries from being even harder on guys when they've gotten older. You've made this oddly personal and in so doing you're ignoring a SHITLOAD of history from players that were every bit as committed and dedicated to their crafts and still couldn't bounce back at the ages we're talking about here.

I have no doubt that Derrick Johnson will work hard to come back. I have no doubt that Derrick Johnson THINKS he'll be as good as new and that he may well attend training camp. I also know that time remains unbeaten and untied and generally speaking, athletes don't slowly fade away - they just hit a damn wall. And that's especially true of athletes that suffer major injuries to their lower half.

This is just the harsh reality of it.

[kcchiefsus]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Why would you have said, in real time, that Alexander doesn't have Eligwe's upside? Just curious.

Because coming out of college, Alexander appeared to be ALL upside and a very similar kind of player/prospect to Eligwe.

I just think we're assigning credit for development elsewhere to our ILBs. This team does a great job with certain areas; DBs and DLs most notably. But Justin Houston pre-dated this regime and had made a Pro-Bowl before Andy and crew got here. Hali was Hali 10 years ago. Ford's development has been...rocky? The ILBs by and large haven't progressed worth a damn (and DJ was DJ already, just like Tamba).

We don't really have much in the way of success stories to point to at the LB position with this regime. Now I'm not saying we should close the book on the possibility or just say that they can't do the job. But thus far they really haven't and I think it's fair to stay open to the possibility that they're just not terribly strong in that area right now.

There are worse sins and it's not fatal. I just wish we'd have put a little more draft capital towards the position recently. I have some hope for Terrance Smith and love Eligwe's potential, but it requires some faith that may not be entirely earned.

Yep, until proven otherwise I don't trust Dorsey's ability to find linebackers in the draft.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

Yep, until proven otherwise I don't trust Dorsey's ability to find linebackers in the draft.

I don't think it's so much Dorsey as much as it is Gary Gibbs.

We've seen improved play from the offensive and defensive line, running backs, WR's and especially the secondary, but the linebacking position has pretty much been in a holding pattern since 2013.

Had Dee Ford not opted to go to Chuck Smith's Pass Rushing camp in Atlanta during the 2016 offseason, we may not have seen any improvement from him, either.

Fortunately, he went there this offseason as well.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I don't think it's so much Dorsey as much as it is Gary Gibbs.

We've seen improved play from the offensive and defensive line, running backs, WR's and especially the secondary, but the linebacking position has pretty much been in a holding pattern since 2013.

Had Dee Ford not opted to go to Chuck Smith's Pass Rushing camp in Atlanta during the 2016 offseason, we may not have seen any improvement from him, either.

Fortunately, he went there this offseason as well.

Haley brought Gibbs over from the Saints, right? I'm almost positive he's a holdover.

And while we saw a lot of development in Houston, Hali and DJ under his watch (so it's fair to give him credit for that), I wonder if it's more a question of core concepts that Andy's asking him to teach that aren't working as well (perhaps they just aren't in Gibbs wheelhouse so he doesn't teach them as well). And if so, why not bring in someone else? I see no reason that Andy should be tied to Gibbs long-term.

And then again, maybe Dorsey just HASN'T brought in good enough players. Afterall, we are pretty much asking Gibbs to turn a whole lot of chicken shit into chicken salad. The ILB position has gotten extremely short shrift in the draft. Continuing to flip 5th rounders at guys who project as STers and then expecting a guy to just coach them into 3-down interior linebackers is perhaps a little unfair.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Or you can read my response and who I was speaking directly to. You're the one that directly addressed me, champ. You might want to speak to what I was actually saying.

I couldn't give a large rats ass about who posted what before me - I spoke to a direct point made in the thread; a couple of them in fact. You, because you're asshurt over some park equipment, are just randomly spewing drivel at anyone who dares question the kind-hearted soul that is Derrick Johnson.

FFS, he's my goddamn screen name. The guy that has his season tickets in front of us lived across the street from him (and down the street from Bowe) and says he's the honest to god nicest person you'd ever meet. I. Don't. Care.

Being nice doesn't stop the goddamn aging process. It doesn't stop injuries from being even harder on guys when they've gotten older. You've made this oddly personal and in so doing you're ignoring a SHITLOAD of history from players that were every bit as committed and dedicated to their crafts and still couldn't bounce back at the ages we're talking about here.

I have no doubt that Derrick Johnson will work hard to come back. I have no doubt that Derrick Johnson THINKS he'll be as good as new and that he may well attend training camp. I also know that time remains unbeaten and untied and generally speaking, athletes don't slowly fade away - they just hit a damn wall. And that's especially true of athletes that suffer major injuries to their lower half.

This is just the harsh reality of it.

Wow, you are just flat out making shit up now. You questioned Why I believed DJ when he says he will be AT CAMP and I gave you a VERY specific reason why I take his word at face value. I guess that was not a good enough reason because you said I was being a dick, and now acting butthurt.

Did I ever once say DJ will be the same EXACT player and this injury would not take its toll? NEVER.

Everything you have posted is YOUR opinion and has NOTHING to do with DJ saying he will BE AT CAMP. So keep posting your fluff about aging athletes- because I never disagreed with the fact the age and injuries hurt athletes in the long run. You are only arguing with yourself.

As far as making it Personal- you started with the namecalling.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Wow, you are just flat out making shit up now. You questioned Why I believed DJ when he says he will be AT CAMP and I gave you a VERY specific reason why I take his word at face value. I guess that was not a good enough reason because you said I was being a dick, and now acting butthurt.

Did I ever once say DJ will be the same EXACT player and this injury would not take its toll? NEVER.

Everything you have posted is YOUR opinion and has NOTHING to do with DJ saying he will BE AT CAMP. So keep posting your fluff about aging athletes- because I never disagreed with the fact the age and injuries hurt athletes in the long run. You are only arguing with yourself.

As far as making it Personal- you started with the namecalling.

So when I don't mention him talking about camp at all, you decide to argue with me about him reporting to camp? Again - I quoted posters, spoke directly to them, and you start just posting the same DJ quote as though it's remotely germane to the discussion I'm having. Uh...okay. Rainman says that 90% of DJ is a top 10 ILB. I disagree and explain why. You post a DJ quote that doesn't speak to anything I said and somehow I'm the one arguing with nobody?

And as for making it personal - I'm discussing your defense of DJ. You're not talking about a football player; you're talking about a pal now and you're checking basic reasoning at the door.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Derrick Johnson was a shadow of his former self in 2016 and that was before he was injured.

Expecting him to return to his former glory after tearing each of his Achilles tendons, and at age 35 to boot, it completely unrealistic.

Father Time is undefeated.

Before the injury DJ had 90 combined tackles- which projects out to 110.

This would have been the 4th highest of his career. Could he have played better- Yes, we have seen him be even better than that. But he was hardly a SHADOW of himself and his production did not see a Significant drop.

I am not sure who is expecting him to still be ALL PRO- but I do EXPECT him to be at camp- just like he said he would be.

[raybec 4]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Haley brought Gibbs over from the Saints, right? I'm almost positive he's a holdover.

And while we saw a lot of development in Houston, Hali and DJ under his watch (so it's fair to give him credit for that), I wonder if it's more a question of core concepts that Andy's asking him to teach that aren't working as well (perhaps they just aren't in Gibbs wheelhouse so he doesn't teach them as well). And if so, why not bring in someone else? I see no reason that Andy should be tied to Gibbs long-term.

And then again, maybe Dorsey just HASN'T brought in good enough players. Afterall, we are pretty much asking Gibbs to turn a whole lot of chicken shit into chicken salad. The ILB position has gotten extremely short shrift in the draft. Continuing to flip 5th rounders at guys who project as STers and then expecting a guy to just coach them into 3-down interior linebackers is perhaps a little unfair.

Gibbs has been here since '09 and has had success coaching elsewhere. I really think it's more a matter of not having the resources to put the best possible product on the field at ILB.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Before the injury DJ had 90 combined tackles- which projects out to 110.

This would have been the 4th highest of his career. Could he have played better- Yes, we have seen him be even better than that. But he was hardly a SHADOW of himself and his production did not see a Significant drop.

He had 90 combined tackles because the defensive line was decimated with injuries and featured two guys signed off the street as starters. He also played along side Justin March, who was pretty much awful, then Ramik Wilson, who improved when he took over DJ's spot but was dragged around in the ground game.

Mike Maslowski once had 92 tackles in a season and he sucked ass.

DJ's 90 tackles were apropos of nothing. He consistently missed easy tackles, was taken out of lanes and took bad angles. While he lost weight going into the season to keep his body fresh, he lost a lot of strength as well.

Expecting him to be 2015 or 2013 DJ is folly.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

We'll need him since Dorsey refuses to ever invest at ILB in the draft.

What the hell is wrong with you anyway?

The next positive statement you make will be your first, shut the **** up

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

He had 90 combined tackles because the defensive line was decimated with injuries and featured two guys signed off the street as starters. He also played along side Justin March, who was pretty much awful, then Ramik Wilson, who improved when he took over DJ's spot but was dragged around in the ground game.

Mike Maslowski once had 92 tackles in a season and he sucked ass.

DJ's 90 tackles were apropos of nothing. He consistently missed easy tackles, was taken out of lanes and took bad angles. While he lost weight going into the season to keep his body fresh, he lost a lot of strength as well.

Expecting him to be 2015 or 2013 DJ is folly.

So they were all gimmie tackles, gotcha, DJ just fell on the pile. I think you are way exaggerating DJ's play. If he actually played that poorly- Andy would have taken him out. Room for much improvement- Yes -Worst player on the field- No.

And Once again- Who is expecting him to be ALL Pro?

I am not sure where the disconnect is- I said I expect him to be in Camp-just like DJ said he would be - Why- because I take him at his word.

[kcchiefsus]

Originally Posted by Easy 6

What the hell is wrong with you anyway?

The next positive statement you make will be your first, shut the **** up

What exactly is there to say about our talent acquisitions at linebacker that would be positive?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

I think you are way exaggerating DJ's play.

Then I don't believe you were paying attention.

I mentioned it nearly every Sunday last Fall, before his injury, that it was clear his play was declining. He missed tackle after tackle, took wrong angles and it was his worst year of football, without a doubt.

DJ was a great player but expecting anything from a 35 year old NFL linebacker whose body is clearly breaking down is folly.

[Hammock Parties]

oof

Watch DJ. I think it's time to have a tough conversation. Just can't close like he used to. This isn't the only one. I hate everything pic.twitter.com/Dtuyp0sCr8

— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) October 16, 2017

[BryanBusby]

Its been apparent for awhile that he's toast.